Strappado
By Laird Barron, first published in Poe
While in India on a ritzy business trip, a museum curator has been instructed to find art that leaves an impression on him. His search leads him to a terrifying place where acts of violence are considered "art."
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On a ritzy work trip to India, Swayne has been instructed to find spectacular art, though he's had little trouble thus far. Instead, Swayne encounters Kenshi, an old lover, and the two rekindle their desires. Going out to a club, Kenshi introduces Swayne to some colleagues and they're all instantly charmed. When the group is preparing to ditch the club for a second location, Kenshi tips the vote towards Swayne's suggestion: attending an art show held by Van Iblis, an eccentric artist. When they arrive, Swayne is introducing them to Van's body of work, which disturbs the other attendees, because it is literally composed of a body: Swayne shows them graphic photos of gruesome gore that Van claims is cutting edge. The workers tell everyone in attendance to discard of their phones and personal belongings, lest they record the show. Once they've relinquished their devices, guards come out carrying machetes and tell everyone to get naked and line up in two columns corresponding to an orange and blue door. Fearing the alternative, everyone does so. Kenshi looks only at the wall, hearing as pairs of people are taken behind closed doors. When it gets to his turn, Kenshi is shocked to see the room is empty and he has no idea what the fate of his friends are. Kenshi is told he can choose, since he was the odd one out, and he runs into the blue door, where he is immediately drugged. A couple of weeks later, the police finally find Kenshi and some other survivors. Kenshi doesn't remember anything following the drugging, from both the drugs and trauma, and is trying to regain a sense of normalcy in his life. The show, he is told, was the audience: half were led to the blue room and kidnapped, but kept alive; the other half were hanged. As he learns from Swayne when he finally calls, Van Iblis holds this case as art and has been distributing copies of the film. Kenshi hangs up, not wanting to be burdened further. Thus, when a disc arrives for him, Kenshi simply stomps it into oblivion, trying to cope with trauma that he can't remember or process right now.
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